-NRLF 


BY- 


SYLVESTER    FIELD 


LIBRARY 

UNIVERSITY  OF  CALIFORNIA 
DAVIS 


UNIVERSITY  PUCE 
BOOK  SHOP 

6*  University   Place 


Job  Trottei 

Seeks  Health 

Finds  Negroes'  Earthly  Paradise 
is  Africa 


Sytvestet  Field 


^Publishing  Company 
Yotk 


LIBRARY 

UNIVERSITY  OF  CALIFORNIA 


Copyrighted,     1904, 

BY 
SYLVESTER   FIELD. 


All    Rights    Reservtd. 


DEDICATED 

TO 

MY  FAITHFUL  HELPMEET. 


JOB  TROTTER. 


CHAPTER  I. 

JOB  TROTTER  was  a  handsome  young  man, 
who  with  his  widowed  mother  lived  with  her 
brother,  a  successful  merchant  in  an  eastern 
city. 

Mr.  Post  offered  his  sister  a  home  in  his 
family  when  her  husband  died,  and  his  wife 
and  only  son  did  all  in  their  power  to  make 
their  home  a  pleasant  one  to  these  greatly  be 
reaved  relatives.  The  cousins  were  about  the 
same  age.  Both  chose  mercantile  life,  and  a 
course  in  a  commercial  college;  after  which 
Mr.  Post  took  them  into  his  employ. 

Mrs.  Trotter  mourned  for  her  husband  un 
til  her  health  was  undermined,  and  she  wilted 
like  a  crushed  flower.  After  five  years  she, 
too,  was  laid  in  the  grave.  Job  was  prostrated 
with  grief.  His  love  for  his  mother  was  in 
tense.  She  was  his  earthly  idol,  and  he  won 
dered  that  he  could  live  without  her.  Time 
and  close  application  to  business  helped  him  to 
recover  from  the  first  shock,  but  his  continued 


2  Job  Trotter. 

sadness  and  dislike  of  company  changed  him 
so  that  his  uncle  offered  to  start  the  cousins 
in  a  branch  store  in  a  neighboring  village,  that 
the  entire  change  of  scene  might  restore  Job's 
interest  in  life,  and  give  both  young  men  a 
new  chance  for  advancement  in  business. 

Louis  Post  with  his  cousin  had  been  active 
in  their  church  life,  and  were  favorites  among 
the  young  people.  Now  Louis  had  to  join  in 
the  entertainments  alone.  Such  a  change  in 
Job  inclined  Louis  to  accept  his  father's  offer 
with  enthusiasm,  and  a  pleasant  village,  one  of 
the  prettiest  in  New  England,  was  decided  on 
for  the  new  store. 

Job  invested  a  part  of  the  fortune  his  father 
left  him  in  it,  and  the  prospect  seemed  very 
bright.  Their  young  friends  all  regretted  their 
going,  and  Louis  became  engaged  to  one  with 
whom  he  was  desparately  in  love. 


Job  Trotter. 


CHAPTER  II. 

THEY  took  rooms  in  the  best  hotel  in  the 
place.  A  new  building  was  rented  for  their 
store.  It  was  well  stocked  with  goods.  Plenty 
of  advertising  brought  them  customers,  and 
life  began  again  to  look  attractive  to  Job.  He 
enjoyed  the  close  attention  given  to  his  work. 

Louis  not  only  liked  the  business  but  was 
rejoiced  to  have  Job  more  like  his  old-time 
self,  for  the  cousins  were  as  fond  of  each  other 
as  David  and  Jonathan  of  olden  time. 

They  took  an  interest  in  their  church,  and 
were  again  loyal  to  "Christ  and  the  Church." 
They  met  pleasant  people,  old  and  young. 
Their  business  grew  steadily  and  more  clerks 
were  employed.  They  decided  more  time  must 
be  given  to  recreation.  Louis  insisted  upon 
it,  so  they  joined  in  the  athletic  games  of  the 
village  and  became  popular  with  all  they  had  to 
do  with.  The  village  people  soon  discovered 
that  two  fine  young  men  had  come  among 
them  to  reside.  Louis  made  friends  easily. 


4  Job  Trotter. 

His  good  nature  and  manliness  won  all  their 
hearts.  Job  was  more  quiet,  but  his  handsome 
face,  fine  form  and  unusual  height  of  six  feet 
impressed  all  who  saw  him  as  an  attractive 
man,  and  a  perfect  gentleman  in  manners. 


Job  Trotter. 


CHAPTER  III. 

WHEN  summer  came  and  the  school  vaca 
tions  took  place  many  new  young  ladies 
patronized  the  store.  College  girls  were  in 
evidence. 

Louis  sent  to  his  father  for  more  fancy  no 
tions,  and  had  a  display  in  the  windows  of 
pretty  ribbons,  silver  ornaments,  and  trinkets 
and  a  variety  of  attractive  articles  to  catch  the 
fancy  of  the  girls,  so  their  store  became  more 
popular  than  ever.  Pretty  girls  and  plain  girls, 
old  ones  and  young  ones  all  came.  Louis 
showed  some  attention  to  all.  Job  said  he 
liked  the  plain  and  old  ones  the  best.  They 
bought  what  they  wanted  with  less  talk  and 
fuss.  He  never  waited  on  any  of  them  unless 
the  number  in  the  store  required  him  to  as 
sist. 

But,  alas!  for  theories — one  day  a  customer 
came  in,  who  so  attracted  him,  by  her  beauty, 
that  he  forgot  his  professed  preference  for  plain 
ones,  and  made  the  selection  of  goods  and  price 
so  easy  for  her  that  her  purchase  was  a  large 


6  Job  Trotter. 

one,  and  it  was  with  eager  delight  he  took  her 
address  where  the  goods  were  to  be  sent.  It 
was  to  Mr.  Settledon's,  Vine  Avenue.  As 
soon  as  he  could  have  a  word  with  Louis  he 
asked  him  if  he  knew  them.  Louis  said, 
"No,  and  yet  knew  of  them."  Squire  Set- 
tledon  was  one  of  the  rich  men  of  the  place, 
who  had  an  elegant  home  on  the  Avenue.  His 
wife  had  been  in  the  store,  but  Job  had  not 
noticed  her.  This  must  be  the  eldest  daughter, 
who  had  been"  away  to  college.  A  younger 
sister  had  been  in  the  store  several  times,  but 
he  had  waited  on  her,  as  Job  did  not  care  for 
"pretty  girls." 

He  observed  that  both  sisters  were  con 
sidered  pretty.  He  had  heard  a  good  deal  in 
their  praise  as  active  Christian  girls.  He  had 
never  seen  the  elder  one,  and  asked  Job  what 
he  thought  of  her. 

"She  is  superbly  beautiful.  I  never  saw 
such  large,  expressive  eyes,  or  such  an  ex 
quisite  complexion  on  any  young  face  before. 
I  hope  she  will  come  into  the  store  often." 

Days  passed  and  she  did  not  come.  He 
walked  past  her  home  often,  but  could  not  see 
anything  of  her.  He  consulted  Louis  as  to 
how  they  could  contrive  to  get  acquainted  with 
her.  They  ascertained  her  family  went  to  the 
Methodist  Church,  so  to  the  Methodist  Church 
they  went,  for  a  change.  They  did  not  wish 
to  be  considered  "narrow-minded,"  besides, 


Job  Trotter.  7 

were  not  some  of  their  best  customers  in  that 
.church  too?  They  found  it  so  pleasant  to  see 
Hope  Settledon  enter  the  church  that  Job  said 
he  much  preferred  that  church,  not  that  he 
liked  his  church  less,  but  this  one  (when  Hope 
was  there)  more.  They  watched  her  as  she 
came  in  with  her  family.  They  visited  the 
Sabbath  School.  She  was  there  a  teacher. 
They  went  to  evening  meeting,  ^she  was  there. 
Job  could  think  or  talk  to  Louis  of  no  one  else. 
He  said  he  would  give  half  of  what  he  was 
worth  to  know  her. 


8  Job  Trotter. 


CHAPTER  IV. 

Louis  wrote  to  his  father  asking  if  he  knew 
Squire  Settledon,  and  if  so  to  give  him  a  letter 
of  introduction. 

The  desired  letter  came.  He  took  it  to  the 
Squire's  office,  and  was  kindly  received.  Soon 
an  invitation  came  for  him  and  his  cousin  to 
dine  with  the  family  in  their  house.  It  was 
a  blissful  occasion  for  Job.  He  had  not  antici 
pated  the  half  of  what  the  realization  was,  to 
be  near  and  to  talk  to  the  eldest  daughter, 
whose  name  was  Hope.  Louis  did  his  part  by 
making  himself  agreeable  to  the  older  people 
and  younger  sister.  His  heart  was  true  to 
"the  girl  he  left  behind  him."  He  was  not 
now  taken  with  beauty  and  bright  eyes,  but  was 
glad  to  have  Job  interested  once  more  in  com 
panions  of  a  suitable  age. 

While  Louis  had  made  his  selection  of  a 
sweetheart,  Job  had  been  considered  rather  as 
a  flirt.  He  always  said  his  heart  belonged 
to  his  mother,  and  he  was  well  content  in  her 
love.  Now  he  seemed  to  have  met  his  fate. 
Would  the  "Course  of  true  love  run  smooth," 
or  meet  with  its  usual  fatality? 


Job  Trotter.  9 

When  they  went  to  call  a  few  evenings 
after  the  dinner,  there  were  four  hats  on  the 
rack,  and  Job  was  greatly  disappointed.  The 
call  was  a  short  one.  Hope  was  brilliantly 
beautiful,  and  entertained  all  with  ease  and 
fluent  conversation.  Job  felt  quite  miserable. 
Could  the  "Rose  that  all  were  praising"  be 
for  him?  He  feared  not;  and  notwithstanding 
the  encouragement  Louis  gave  him  he  was 
dreadfully  despondent. 

He  called  again,  but  others  were  there,  and 
she  showed  him  no  special  favor.  He  called 
in  the  afternoon,  and  invited  her  to  a  concert. 
She  accepted.  Oh,  what  bliss  in  imagination, 
and  more  yet  in  realization!  He  complained 
of  the  many  hats  on  the  rack  when  he  called 
in  the  evenings.  She  said  they  were  old  friends 
who  came  to  while  away  their  time. 

How  did  Hope  like  him?  She  told  her 
father  she  had  never  met  any  one  so  agree 
able  as  he  was,  never  in  her  life  before,  and 
that  if  he  did  not  like  so  many  hats  on  the 
rack  she  would  be  out  for  the  first  part  of  every 
evening,  until  her  old  beaux  left  off  coming, 
so  that  he  could  call  in  peace,  and  they  enjoy 
themselves  together. 

Her  father  told  her  that  would  be  too 
marked  a  preference  for  him;  but  she  was  de 
cided  that  she  wished  to  see  no  one  else  but 
him. 


io  Job  Trotter. 

"Would  you  be  willing  to  marry  him,  my 
dear?" 

"Indeed,  I  would;  if  he  asked  me  I  would 
jump  at  the  chance." 

"You  must  be  careful.  Don't  think  too 
much  of  him.  He  is  only  an  acquaintance." 

"I  don't  care  if  I  do  say  it  to  you,  I  am  fas 
cinated  with  him.  I  want  no  other  friend. 
I  will  give  up  every  one  who  comes  here,  so 
that  he  will  enjoy  coming." 


Job  Trotter.  '  n 


CHAPTER  V. 

How  did  Job  feel?  He  told  Louis:  "It  is 
no  use  for  me  to  flatter  myself  that  Hope 
would  prefer  me;  she  has  so  many  admirers. 
I  am  only  one  of  the  last  of  her  acquaintances. 
She  must  like  her  old  friends  best.  She  is  so 
polite  to  all;  so  kind-hearted  always;  no-  more 
to  me  than  to  any  one  else.  I  can  never  win 
her.  I  might  as  well  give  up  the  thought, 
and  attend  to  my  store." 

"No,"  said  Louis,  "you  have  as  good  a 
chance  as  any  one.  When  she  knows  you  bet 
ter  she  will  appreciate  you,  for  I  will  say  a 
better,  purer  man  never  lived  in  this  town.  If 
she  does  not  understand  your  worth,  and  treat 
you  well,  she  will  lose  the  rare  chance  of  a  life 
time.  Ask  her  to  ride  with  you,  get  her  by 
yourself;  cut  out  those  other  fellows.  You 
can  do  it,  if  you  will." 

It  was  one  of  Job's  blue  days.  He  had  not 
seen  Hope  for  a  week,  when,  wonderful  to 
relate,  she  came  into  the  store  one  morning, 
looking  as  fresh  and  sweet  as  a  lily. 

"Now,  Job,"  said  Louis,  "there's  a  chance 
for  you." 


12  Job  Trotter. 

Job  advanced,  the  smiling  clerk  withdrew. 
Hope  lingered  over  the  goods  she  was  looking 
at,  and  finally  purchased  the  piece  he  liked 
best.  It  was  for  a  dress  for  herself.  This  so 
encouraged  him  that  he  asked  her  if  she  would 
ride  with  him  in  the  afternoon.  She  said, 
"Yes"  so  sweetly  that  he  believed  she  was 
pleased  with  the  invitation. 

They  had  a  charming  ride,  so  both  thought. 
He  asked  her  if  she  would  go  again  on  a 
pleasant  lake  drive  some  miles  away,  some  day. 
She  said  she  would,  and  she  set  the  day  she 
could  go. 

Job  was  so  delighted  with  this  success  that 
he  bought  a  gentle,  beautiful  horse  and  easy 
phaeton  for  the  occasion.  When  the  day  for 
their  going  arrived,  and  she  saw  the  rig  she 
praised  it  as  in  perfect  taste,  and  was  charmed 
with  the  pretty  carriage  that  moved  so  easily. 
They  rode  to  the  lake.  The  horse  was  left 
in  charge  of  a  hostler,  and  they  went  into  a 
grotto  on  the  bank.  The  view,  the  quiet,  and 
the  lovely  girl  at  his  side  all  conspired  to  en 
able  him  to  be  agreeable  and  to  talk  with  a 
freedom  and  ease  that  enchanted  her. 

He  asked  her,  "Do  you  really  like  my  horse 
and  carnage?" 

"I  admire  it  very  much.  I  never  rode  in  a 
more  comfortable  one." 

"It  will  give  me  pleasure  to  give  it  to  you. 
Will  you  accept  it  from  me?" 


Job  Trotter.  13 

"Oh1,  I  could  not  accept  such  a  valuable 
gift." 

"Why  not?" 

"Papa  has  always  said  I  must  not  accept 
a  gift  from  a  gentleman  I  am  not  engaged  to." 

"Then  that  objection  can  be  removed.  Will 
you  engage  yourself  to  me?" 

"Oh,  what  have  I  said?"  and  Hope  buried 
her  face  in  her  hands. 

Then  Job  had  the  opportunity  of  telling  all 
his  love  for  her.  Hope  burst  into  tears. 

"Why,  my  darling,  why  do  you  weep?" 

"Because  I  am  so  happy." 

And  then  followed  words  and  loving  ex 
pressions  that  beggar  description.  Imagina 
tion  never  fails  us ! 


14  Job  Trotter 


CHAPTER  VI. 

TIME,  relentless  time,  at  last  warned  them 
to  return  home.  Hope  asked  Job  to  dine  with 
them.  He  accepted  the  invitation.  He  wanted 
to  see  her  parents,  and  to  get  their  approval 
of  him  as  a  son.  He  watched  Hope  enter  her 
father's  door,  and  thought,  "She  is  my  Hope; 
truly  she  loves  me ;  her  heart  is  mine,  and  mine 
alone."  It  was  not  long  before  he  returned 
from  the  livery  stable.  Hope  was  waiting  at 
the  window  for  him.  She  rushed  to  the  door, 
and  embraced  him.  He  asked  to  see  her 
father,  and  she  took  him  to  the  library. 

"Papa,  we  want  to  talk  with  you." 

Her  father  laid  aside  his  book,  and  greeted 
Job  kindly,  who  said: 

"I  have  come  to  ask  your  consent  to  my  pos 
session  of  your  daughter.  I  have  her  heart, 
and  she  has  mine.  My  life  and  all  it  is  worth 
are  hers.  Will  you  accept  me  as  your  son,  and 
sanction  our  union  ?" 

"Hope,  do  you  really  love  him  as  you  should 
love  to  unite  your  life  with  his?" 

"Father,  I  cannot  tell  how  much  I  love  him. 


Job  Trotter.  15 

I  can  only  say  that  I  am  perfectly  happy  in  his 
love/' 

"Then,  my  children,  I  give  my  consent.  I 
am  well  acquainted  with  the  character  of  his 
relatives,  and  of  his  late  father.  I  am  per 
fectly  satisfied  with  what  I  know  of  him.  God 
bless  you  both  in  your  choice  of  each  other." 

"You  are  the  best  papa  in  the  world." 

They  went  to  look  for  her  mother.  She 
was  in  the  cheerful  sitting-room.  She  wel 
comed  Job  cordially,  and  asked  if  they  had  had 
a  pleasant  ride.  Job  answered  for  both : 

"Hope  has  said  she  enjoyed  it,  and  for  me 
it  has  been  the  pleasantest  of  my  life,  a  memor 
able  ride.  Hope  has  promised  to  be  my  wife. 
We  want  you  now  to  give  us  loving  congratu 
lations  on  our  true  love  for  each  other,  and 
happy  prospects." 

"Oh,  mother,  I  am  so  happy,"  said  Hope, 
as  she  put  her  arms  around  her  mother's  neck, 
and  laid  her  head  on  her  mother's  breast.  The 
tears  came  into  the  mother's  eyes  as  she  held 
Hope  in  her  arms,  and  said : 

"How  can  I  give  you  up,  my  precious  child  ?" 

"You  need  not,"  said  Job,  "only  take  me  as 
your  son;  your  daughter's  husband.  It  will 
be  our  delight  to  stay  near  you,  and  add  all 
we  can  to  your  happiness,  as  long  as  you  live. 
Will  you  accept  me  as  your  son,  with  all  a 
son's  devotion?  As  I  loved  to  care  for  my 
mother,  so  will  I  gladly  care  for  you," 


1 6  Job  Trotter. 

"You  can't  help  loving  him,  dear  mother, 
when  you  know  him,  as  I  do.  He  is  a  true 
Christian,  mother." 

"Well,  my  darling,  you  have  settled  the  mat 
ter  in  earnest.  I  believe  you  do  love  each 
other.  I  shall  not  oppose  your  decision.  Job 
is  welcome  to  come  to  our  home  at  any  time 
as  one  of  our  family.  It  is  time  that  dinner 
was  served.  I  will  ring  that  I  am  ready  for 
it.  Job  will  remain  and  dine  with  us,  I  am 
sure." 


Job  Trotter,  17 


CHAPTER  VII. 

Louis  was  convinced  that  Job  had  met  with 
pleasant  experiences  as  he  heard  him  whistling 
the  next  morning  right  merrily,  and  before  he 
was  fairly  awake,  Job  rushed  into  his  room 
and  told  the  good  news. 

"I  do,  indeed,  rejoice  with  you,"  said  Louis. 

"I  came  home  at  twelve  and  looked  in  on 
you,  but  you  slept  so  soundly,  I  did  not  like 
to  wake  you." 

"It  was  well  you  did  not.  I  am  a  bear  when 
disturbed  at  night,  and  would  have  thrown  the 
furniture  at  you." 

"Then  I  would  have  thrown  you  out  of  the 
window." 

"You  must  have  been  in  a  fighting  mood." 

"I  felt  strong  enough  to  challenge  the  wind, 
if  it  blew  rudely  on  Hope." 

"When  will  you  be  married?" 

"Very  soon,  I  trust.  I  shall  ask  Hope  this 
morning,  when  I  go  to  see  her,  to  set  the 
day." 

Hope  said,  "Most  folks  are  engaged  two 
years." 


1 8  Job  Trotter. 

"Let  us  start  a  new  and  better  fashion.  Say, 
two  weeks." 

"Oh,  that  is  too  soon.  College  begins  next 
week,  and  I  graduate  in  another  year." 

"You  are  not  going  to  return  to  college?" 

"Why  not?" 

"I  can't  spare  you." 

"I  ought  to  finish  my  college  course." 

"And  leave  me?" 

"I  will  be  awfully  sorry  to." 

"I  will  get  sick  and  die." 

"If  you  are  sick  I  will  return  and  take  care 
of  you." 

"It  is  no  use  of  your  going  then,  as  I  will 
be  taken  dangerously  ill  the  first  week,  if  you 
do.  You  know  enough  of  usual  studies  now. 
We  will  be  married  and  read  lots  of  books 
together,  and  we  both  will  enjoy  the  same  read 
ing  then." 

"I  am  willing,  but  what  will  papa  say?" 

"He  will  say  it  is  the  best  way.  'An  ounce 
of  prevention  is  worth  a  pound  of  cure'  for 
my  health." 

The  parents  demurred,  but  finally  were  won 
over,  and  Christmas  was  the  time  set  for  the 
wedding. 

Her  father  gave  her  a  new  pretty  house  near 
his.  It  was  rented  for  the  summer,  but  the 
tenants  would  soon  leave,  and  he  would  have 
it  newly  decorated  and  furnished  for  them. 

Christmas  came  at  last.     A  private  family 


Job  Trotter.  19 

wedding  was  given  to  Hope,  and  they  went 
to  housekeeping  in  the  loveliest  of  residences, 
the  gift  of  her  father.  It  was  all  their  own. 
They  planted  rare  roses,  trained  more  vines 
over  the  verandas,  planted  memorial  trees, 
"For,"  as  Hope  said,  "this  will  always  be  our 
home,  and  we  will  make  it  the  most  attractive 
place  in  the  world.  What  shall  we  name  it?" 
"  'Home,  sweet  home,'  "  said  Job. 
So  that  became  its  name,  and  all  said  it 
was  a  most  suitable  one. 

Five  years  followed  of  comfort  and  devo 
tion,  during  which  a  precious  boy  was  born 
to  them.  They  called  him  Gaylord,  after  her 
father.  He  was  a  fine  healthy  child,  but  when 
he  was  three  years  old  he  had  the  whooping 
cough. 

Anxiety  for  his  boy,  and  a  bleak  winter  of 
storms  resulted  in  such  a  severe  cold  to  Job 
that  it  settled  on  his  lungs  and  nothing  seemed 
to  cure  him,  so  the  doctor  insisted  upon  his 
going  South. 

"Shall  I  go  alone?"  he  asked  Hope. 
"No,  indeed,  we  will  all  go." 
"And  leave  this  beautiful  home?" 
"It  is  worth  nothing  to  me  without  you." 
Hasty   preparations   were   made,   and   soon 
all  three  were  speeding  to  the  "Sunny  South." 


20  Job  Trotter. 


CHAPTER  VIII. 

THE  change  of  climate  was  most  delightful. 
The  balmy  air  worked  like  a  charm  on  Job. 
Out-of-door  life  was  an  agreeable  and  effica 
cious  remedy.  Their  hotel  life  was  comfort 
able.  The  Southern  people  they  found  were 
social,  with  agreeable,  easy  manners.  Hope 
fell  in  love  with  their  ways  at  once;  only  she 
did  not  like  to  hear  these  elegant  gentlemen 
say:  "I'll  kill  that  nigger." 

This  they  did  repeatedly  when  there  was 
any  slight  fault  to  find,  or  when  an  order  did 
not  receive  immediate  obedience.  Every  one 
else  was  allowed,  and  expected  to  be  slow,  and 
to  do  little  or  nothing.  Hope  soon  discovered 
she  was  in  a  slave  state.  Pleasant  as  this  life 
was  they  became  tired  of  it,  and  they  all 
longed  for  home  life  once  more.  After  some 
time  spent  in  looking  for  a  house,  they  suc 
ceeded  in  obtaining  a  cottage  belonging  to  a 
planter  near  his  own,  and  once  again  they  en 
joyed  a  quiet  and  beautiful  home. 

The  next  three  years  were  full  of  quiet  en 
joyment.  The  planter's  family  were  most  kind 


Job  Trotter.  21 

and  social.  His  wife  was  somewhat  of  an  in 
valid.  She  often  called  for  Mrs.  Trotter  to 
ride  with  her  in  her  carriage.  She  was  a  typi 
cal  Southern  lady,  and  did  not  care  to  walk. 
Her  slave  attendant  expressed  it: 

"My  Missus  is  a  lady,  and  her  foot  ain't 
'quainted  wid  de  groun'.  I  jes'  obsarves  sum 
folk  usinized  to  walk.  She  isn't,  sho  nuff." 

Beautiful  flowers  and  delicious  fruits  came 
with  "my  compliments."  Their  only  son, 
Cecil,  came  often  with  his  "Nigger  Mose" 
to  play  with  Gay. 

The  boys  found  lizards  and  snakes  that  were 
harmless,  so  Gay  became  accustomed  to  them. 
One  morning  he  called  the  boys  to  see  his  beau 
tiful  nest  of  lizards. 

"Them  isn't  lizzards,  them's  'gaters,"  said 
Mose.  "Them's  bites." 

Gay  rushed  to  the  house.  "Come,  mother, 
and  see  my  *  'gaters,'  "  he  said. 

She  went  wth  him,  and  admired  them,  of 
course,  but  made  Gay  promise  he  would  not 
handle  them,  and  he  was  content  to  see  them 
grow.  He  found  chamelions  and  fed  them 
with  flies;  saw  them  change  color  when  put 
on  different  colored  leaves,  and  in  this  way  the 
boys  had  royal  good  times  together. 

Mrs.  Trotter  was  privileged  to  have  one  of 
the  planter's  house-servants  for  her  use,  and 
an  old  mammy  that  was  allowed  to  earn  a  little 


22  Job  Trotter. 

money  for  herself  by  extra  work,  took  the 
washing  for  her. 

"I  'lowed  to  do  it  mighty  cheap,  Honey,  ef 
yo'  prowide  de  ingregiances"  (soap  and 
starch). 

Job  enjoyed  the  trees  of  this  land.  Some 
pines  were  eighty  feet  and  more  high.  The 
water  oaks,  straight  and  crooked,  laden  with 
Florida  moss,  some  hanging  six  feet  and  eight 
feet  from  the  trees  and  swaying  gracefully  in 
the  mild  breeze,  were  found  in  abundance. 
This  wonderful  growth  of  moss  with  a  tough 
hair-like  fibre  through  every  stem  to  place  of 
clinging  is  not  a  parasite,  but  lives  on  air,  and 
in  the  spring  it  has  small  green  flowers  on  it. 
He  also  admired  Indian  River,  wide  and 
straight,  parallel  with  the  Atlantic,  160  miles; 
the  shores  fringed  with  the  orange  blossoms. 
Magnolias  and  honeysuckle  were  plentifully 
found.  The  Indians  loved  to  camp  here. 


Job  Trotter.  23 


CHAPTER    IX. 

JOB'S  health  became  established.  The  easy, 
joyful  life  he  expressed  in  a  quotation  from 
Longfellow : 

"O  Gift  of  God!  O  perfect  day: 
Whereon  shall  no  man  work,  but  play: 
Whereon  it  is  enough  for  me, 
Not  to  be  doing,  but  to  be! 

"Through  every  fibre  of  my  brain, 
Through  every  nerve,  through  every  vein 
I  feel  the  electric  thrill,  the  touch 
Of  life,  that  seems  so  much. 

"I  hear  the  wind  among  the  trees 
Playing  celestial  symphonies; 
I  see  the  branches  downward  bent; 
Like  keys  of  some  great  instrument. 

"And  over  me  unrolls  on  high 
The  splendid  scenery  of  the  sky, 
Where  through  a  sapphire  sea  the  sun 
Sails  like  a  golden  galleon. 


24  Job  Trotter. 

<fO  Life  and  Love!    O  happy  throng 
Of  thoughts,  whose  only  speech  is  song! 
O  heart  of  man!  canst  thou  not  be 
Blithe  as  the  air  is,  and  as  free?" 

He  had  much  poetry  in  his  nature  and  mem 
ory,  and  it  was  awakened  by  these  pleasant 
surroundings,  as  he  and  Hope  sauntered  in  the 
woods  listening  to  the  mocking-birds  and  other 
songsters.  Bluebirds  and  cardinal  grosbecks, 
with  their  gay  plumage,  were  there  also  by  the 
lake  side.  The  moonlight  evenings  were  spent 
out-of-doors,  watching  nature's  changes  so 
quickly  made. 

The  brief  twilight  and  the  sunsets,  leaving 
rays  of  splendor,  were  very  greatly  admired 
as  they  sat  on  the  verandas  or  in  a  boat.  The 
dark  nights  were  enjoyed  as  much,  though  in  a 
different  way,  in  the  house  in  each  other's  com 
pany,  with  reading  and  music.  Both  were  good 
players  on  the  piano,  and  their  voices  harmo 
nized  so  that  one  of  their  greatest  pleasures 
was  that  of  singing  together. 

"This  is  an  ideal  life,"  said  Hope,  "and  has 
given  you  your  health,  my  precious  husband. 
I  hope  we  can  live  here  always.  Will  you 
not  buy  this  cottage,  and  have  it  for  our  win 
ter  home?  and  let  us  name  it  Pine  Grove  Cot 
tage.  It  is  so  rural.  It  is  a  real  bower  of 
beauty.  We  have  the  eastern  sun  that  rises 
in  bright  orange  color,  and  the  western  that 


Job  Trotter.  25 

sets  in  golden  rays.  We  might  name  it 
'Paradise/  it  is  so  like  what  that  must  be. 
We  can  live  and  die  here,  and  go  to  Paradise 
having  a  foretaste  of  it." 

"I  am  willing  to  buy  it,  if  the  planter  will 
sell  it  to  me,  but  I  think  we  had  better  try  it 
one  year  longer  before  we  decide." 


* 


26  Job  Trotter. 


CHAPTER   X. 

THE  planter  invited  them  to  visit  his  plan 
tation.  They  accepted  and  went  with  him. 
Hope  became  interested  in  some  old  negroes, 
almost  blind.  She  afterwards  visited  them, 
read  the  Bible  to  them  and  taught  them  Gos 
pel  songs.  She  also  taught  some  of  the  chil 
dren  to  read.  Her  kind  heart  went  out  to 
these  ignorant  slaves  whose  lives  were  con 
trolled  by  their  owners.  She  heard  of  the 
kindness  of  their  friend,  the  owner  of  the  plan 
tation  where  they  lived,  and  thought  the  neat 
cabins  were  good  homes,  and  their  planta 
tion  songs  interested  her — such  as  "Old  Black 
Joe,"  "Suwanee  River,"  and  others  like  them. 
They  never  tired  of  them,  and  she  often  heard 
them  singing  before  she  reached  a  cabin : 

"One  little  hut  among  the  bushes 

One  dat  I  love, 

Still  sadly  to  my  memory  rushes 
No  matter  where  I  rove. 

11  When  shall  I  see  de  bee  a-hummin', 

All  round  de  comb, 
When  will  I  hear  de  banjo  tunimin' 
Down  in  my  good  old  home?" 


Job  Trotter.  27 

She  could  not  meditate  on  the  woes  of 
slavery;  the  sad  experience  of  children  sold 
away  from  their  parents,  as  bad  as  the  home 
sickness  of  all  children  away  from  home  and 
those  they  love.  It  seems  so  strange  that  any 
one  who  has  a  human  heart  could  keep  en 
slaved  their  fellow-creatures  who  have  the 
same  God-given  aspiration  for  happiness,  home 
and  heaven;  and  what  a  blot  on  this  summer 
land  where  heaven  bends  down  to  earth  caress 
ingly. 

Some  of  the  old  darkies  told  her  harrowing 
stories  of  some  who  were  sold  to  cruel  masters. 
One  old  slave  said  that  her  mother  belonged 
to  a  bad  man,  who,  when  she  grew  old  and 
valueless  let  her  starve,  and  when  dead  had  her 
put  into  a  cart  and  then  in  a  hole  dug  way 
off,  and  buried  like  a  hog. 

Another  story  was  of  a  slave  who  was  made 
to  feed  sick  cows,  and  being  with  child  when  it 
was  born  its  eyes  rolled  like  those  of  a  sick 
cow,  and  he  was  club-footed  and  had  a  with 
ered  hand.  He  was  shown  as  a  curiosity  by 
his  inhuman  master,  and  then  met  a  sudden 
death  and  rude  burial. 

The  planter  heard  that  Hope  sympathized 
with  his  slaves,  and  he  told  Job  it  would  not 
do;  and  from  that  time  the  friendly  relations 
of  the  planter's  family  ceased. 

Cecil  was  not  allowed  to  play  with  Gay, 
and  their  disfavor  was  so  apparent  that  Job 


28  Job  Trotter. 

thought  they  had  better  give  up  the  cottage 
and  move  away. 

There  were  now  rumors  of  a  war  against 
the  North  for  Southern  independence.  Hope 
was  sorry  to  leave  the  spot  where  her  dear 
husband  enjoyed  such  good  health,  but  she 
agreed  with  him  that  it  was  wise  to  do  so, 
and  succeeding  events  proved  it  to  be  the  wis 
est  course,  as  their  sympathies  were  all  with 
the  North,  and  against  slavery. 

They  went  to  St.  Louis.  Here  they  found  a 
pleasant  home  in  a  private  boarding-house,  and 
had  kind  neighbors.  The  climate  was  mild 
and  the  city  was  settled  by  stirring  business 
men.  It  was  a  life  that  suited  Job  better  than 
the  lazy  life  he  had  been  living  further  south. 
But  soon  news  of  war  followed  them.  A 
border  state  did  not  seem  to  be  a  place  of  set 
tled  enjoyment  to  a  man  with  Northern  prin 
ciples  against  slavery.  The  constant  discus 
sions  were  distasteful  to  him,  and  the  strong 
expressions  against  the  North,  by  the  majority 
of  women,  were  greatly  disliked  by  Hope. 
They  were  loth  to  leave  the  Union  friends 
they  had  made  in  the  house,  but  definite  views 
must  be  expressed  and  all  there  agreed  that  the 
Union  and  her  flag  must  be  respected.  So  they 
bought  a  large  Union  Flag  and  flung  it  to  the 
breeze  from  the  front  of  the  house.  This  made 
a  great  commotion.  Their  secession  neighbors 
talked  against  it.  They  would  not  pass  on 


Job  Trotter.  29 

the  sidewalk  under  the  flag,  but  crossed  over 
to  the  other  side.  The  children  acted  as  the 
parents  did.  Gay  was  again  left  by  his 
playmates,  and  not  only  that,  but  they  insulted 
him  every  chance  they  had.  He  often  came 
in  crying  and  told  his  mother  that  the  boys  did 
not  like  him  any  more,  because  of  the  flag. 
Hope  heard  women  say,  "If  I  thought  I  had 
a  drop  of  Yankee  blood  in  me,  I'd  cut  it  out." 
Hope  and  Job  decided  it  would  be  better  to 
move  to  a  free  state,  and  so  parted  from  their 
friends,  and  went  to  Chicago. 


30  Job  Trotter. 


CHAPTER  XL 

THEY  arrived  in  Chicago  with  glad  hearts. 
Here  they  found  fine  accommodations  in  a 
hotel  on  the  beautiful  lake.  The  delightful 
drives  and  the  views  of  extensive  prairies  in 
terested  them  very  much. 

A  funny  experience  came  to  Hope  one  day. 
As  she  wished  to  go  to  the  West  side  she 
crossed  on  the  bridge,  but  before  she  reached 
the  other  side  it  had  to  turn  to  let  a  boat 
through.  That  brought  her  to  the  same  side 
she  had  left,  but  she  did  not  notice,  and  walked 
off  and  went  some  distance  before  she  dis 
covered  her  mistake.  There  were  so  many 
beautiful  homes  on  the  South  side  Hope  wanted 
to  rent  one  and  begin  life  anew.  So  they  se 
lected  a  nice  one,  and  adorned  it  with  pretty 
things,  and  settled  down  once  more  to  enjoy 
home  life  again. 

Years  passed  on.  They  spent  some  months 
of  each  winter  further  south,  but  this  was  their 
home,  sweet  home,  once  more.  Gaylord  had 
a  private  tutor,  and  was  fast  becoming  an 
agreeable  companion  to  his  father  and  mother. 


Job  Trotter.  31 

This  happy  condition  was  unduly  disturbed  by 
the  great  fire,  when  all  they  had  vanished 
forever  from  their  sight.  That  is,  all  that 
could  burn. 

Job,  Hope  and  Gaylord  were  spared  to  each 
other,  and  they  were  so  thankful  for  their  own 
preservation  that  all  else  seemed  as  nothing. 
They  fled  to  a  place  of  safety,  and  witnessed 
the  most  appalling  sight  that  one  can  behold, 
a  city  on  fire.  Hotels,  churches,  public  build 
ings,  business  blocks,  mercantile  establish 
ments,  newspaper  offices,  humble  homes,  costly 
residences  were  all  leveled  amid  flames  and 
smoke.  It  was  a  horror  unimaginable! 

The  anxiety,  suffering  and  excitement,  pen 
cannot  describe  nor  picture  it  to  those  who  did 
not  witness  it.  "What  shall  we  do?"  "Shall 
we  have  anything  left  to  start  anew  ?"  "Where 
can  we  go  ?"  was  heard  on  all  sides.  Job  said, 
"Shall  we  return  to  New  England?"  Hope  said, 
"No,  we  will  run  no  risk  of  your  health." 

They  went  finally  to  try  New  York.  There 
they  found  the  rush  for  wealth,  social  posi 
tion  and  public  prominence  carried  out  to  a 
fabulous  extent.  All  could  not  be  at  the  top 
notch,  so  jealousy,  heart  burnings,  and  expen 
sive  display  was  the  result  while  vying  with 
each  other  for  popularity.  This  was  the  life 
of  many. 

Job  found,  in  the  church  of  his  choice,  noble 
Christians,  men  of  great  wealth,  but  who  were 


32  Job  Trotter. 

greater  in  themselves  than  all  their  money, 
good  as,  or  better  than,  gold ;  who  gave  loving 
service  to  their  church.  Job  and  Hope  gave 
themselves  to  a  part  in  the  church  work  that 
was  not  very  popular  with  the  many.  The 
Chinese  school,  a  branch  of  the  main  Sunday 
School,  needed  teachers.  The  superintendent 
sent  a  notice  to  the  church  to  call  attention  to 
the  fact.  Job  and  Hope  responded,  and  soon 
after  Gaylord  and  his  tutor  also  were  inter 
ested.  Hope  had  a  scholar  who  admired  her 
very  much,  and  at  Christmas  time  sent  her 
silk  handkerchiefs,  red,,  blue  and  green.  This 
was  the  best  that  he  could  do  to  express  his 
thanks  for  her  teaching.  Job  was  asked  to  take 
another's  class  into  his — one  man — as  his 
teacher  was  away  for  a  short  time.  When  a 
Chinaman  is  pleased  his  complexion  is  a  light 
•yellow,  but  when  displeased  it  grows  a  dark 
brown.  This  man's  face  grew  quite  dark,  as 
Job  took  his  teacher's  chair,  and  he  said : 
"Me  want  old  girl  back,  teach  me." 
He  was  slow  to  be  pleased,  but  when  the 
old  lady  returned  to  teach  him  his  face  grew 
radiant. 


Job  Trotter.  33 


CHAPTER   XII. 

JOB  was  then  given  a  more  advanced 
scholar,  who  paid  good  attention,  and  eyed 
his  teacher  with  great  interest.  Before  long, 
he  appeared  dressed  as  "Mellican  man,"  ring 
on  his  finger,  glass  pin  in  his  scarf,  and 
gloves!  He  told  his  teacher  he  was  going  to 
give  up  his  laundry  and  sell  things — slawber- 
ries,  rasbellies,  oranges,  ice-cleam  and  lice  and 
bread."  When  Job  told  Hope  about  it  she 
said  he'd  better  put  his  watch  chain  in  his 
pocket  or  the  man  would  spend  all  the  money 
he  earned  in  jewelry,  trying  to  imitate  his 
"Mellican"  teacher,  as  they  were  especially 
good  at  imitation.  A  story  is  told  of  the  man 
in  the  kitchen  as  a  help  for  the  cook,  who 
always  slipped  off  his  shoes  as  he  had  seen 
the  cook  do  when  she  peeled  potatoes. 

As  each  man  had  a  separate  teacher,  it  re 
quired  many  as  the  school  grew  in  numbers, 
and  many  young  ladies  from  the  church  were 
invited  to  take  classes.  It  proved  a  bad  ex 
periment,  as  the  men  became  too  fond  of  their 
teachers,  and  one  teacher  consented  to  marry 


34  J°b  Trotter. 

her  scholar  and  go  with  him  to  China.  But 
her  friends  opposed  it  so  it  had  to  be  given 
up,  and  he  returned  to  China  alone,  probably 
a  heart-broken  man.  She  left  the  school,  as 
it  was  "too  narrow-minded"  to  suit  her. 

The  annual  boat  excursion  which  was  given 
by  the  men  to  their  teachers  was  frowned  upon 
by  some  in  the  church,  and  was  given  up,  also 
the  expensive  dinners  given  by  the  teachers  to 
the  school  each  year  were  abandoned. 

Job  insisted  that  the  object  of  the  school 
was  to  teach  them  to  read  the  Bible,  and  to 
teach  them  the  way  of  salvation,  that  they 
might  return  to  China  and  carry  the  Gospel 
to  their  countrymen. 

They  were  fitted  by  language  and  acclimated 
to  the  country,  and  could  live  there  and  work 
for  Christ  better  than  the  white  people,  as  it 
was  proven  more  than  once.  One  of  the 
teachers,  an  educated,  noble,  Christian  woman, 
fitted  herself  to  go  as  a  missionary  to  China 
by  learning  the  language  as  best  she  could  by 
two  years'  study  with  the  intelligent  men.  She 
went,  and  taught  awhile,  but  took  a  fever  and 
died.  Her  devoted  husband,  a  minister,  went 
with  her  and  died  also  with  the  fever.  A  son 
and  daughter  remained  there,  and  did  good 
work,  and  kept  well  by  returning  home  often 
for  a  change  of  climate. 

Job  took  the  matter  up  in  earnest.  He 
started  a  missionary  society  which  was  to  send 


Job  Trotter.  35 

converts  back  to  China  to  open  chapels  there, 
and  work  to  convert  the^  native  Chinese  so  that 
they  need  not  come  to  this  country  to  learn  of 
Christ  and  salvation.  They  got  a  taste  here 
for  money,  so  a  large  fund  was  started  to  fur 
nish  good  salaries  to  the  men  to  build  chapels 
and  to  do  a  special  work  in  each  school  in 
fitting  out  the  men  who  love  their  Saviour  and 
love  China  and  hope  to  return  there  before 
they  die,  and  if  not  able  to  do  so  wish  their 
bodies  to  be  sent  there.  Such  a  home-loving 
people  should  be  helped  to  return  to  their 
homes  and  their  families  and  their  country, 
and  so  to  spread  the  Gospel  to  their  "end  of 
the  earth." 

It  was  a  kind  providence  to  other  nations 
to  implant  in  the  hearts  of  this  prolific  people 
of  400,000,000  population  with  immense  terri 
tory,  such  a  strong  inborn  tie  to  their  native 
land  of  China. 


36  Job  Trotter. 


CHAPTER   XIII. 

THE  Trotter  family  spent  their  winters  in 
New  York  City,  their  summers  out  of  town. 
They  went  for  several  summers  to  a  pleasant 
country  seat  situated  on  the  bank  of  the  Hud 
son  River,  where  the  high  cliffs,  the  grand 
scenery,  the  fine  air,  and  pleasant  surroundings 
inclined  them  to  locate  permanently,  but  they 
felt  a  desire  to  see  the  new  city  that  had  arisen 
out  of  its  ashes,  and  beholding  it  were  amazed 
at  what  man  could  accomplish  in  a  compara 
tively  short  time.  More  elegant  buildings  they 
had  rarely  seen  than  were  now  to  be  found  in 
the  city  of  Chicago. 

Hope  was  greatly  interested  in  the  Woman's 
Temple  of  white  marble,  suitable  symbol  of  a 
pure  cause,  rising  up  to  its  great  height,  mak 
ing  such  a  splendid  sight  by  its  fine  architec 
ture,  showing  such  good  taste,  and  furnish 
ing  needed  conveniences  for  their  Gospel  work 
under  their  noble  leader,  whose  last  act  and 
thought  was  for  it  as  a  great  benefit  to  the 
cause  she  loved  and  had  consecrated  her  life 
to  its  service,  expressing  so  loudly  "Love  to 


Job  Trotter.  37 

God  and  Man."  She  little  thought  she  was 
working  for  her  own ,  memorial,  and  where 
the  last  view  of  her  lovely  face  would  be  taken 
by  her  comrades  who  so  dearly  loved  her  with 
whom  they  had  worked,  and  where  in  its  spa 
cious  hall  the  incense  of  daily  prayer  had  been 
and  continued  to  be,  offered.  Here  souls  had 
been  saved  and  helped  by  sisterly  love  follow 
ing  out  the  Golden  Rule.  The  work  faltered 
not;  though  the  dear  one  was  promoted,  her 
spirit  remained  to  encourage  those  left  in 
charge,  and  it  was  fitting  that  this  splendid 
temple  should  be  her  memorial.  This  "un 
crowned  queen"  was  entitled  to  one  as  beauti 
ful,  but  the  enemy  entered  even  here  and 
impelled  by  envy  and  an  evil  spirit  sent  shafts 
of  spite  in  every  direction  under  the  pretense 
of  its  showing  an  extravagant  expenditure, 
though  no  limit  was  set  in  other  cases  of  ex 
pensive  travel  and  sight  seeing.  But  God  still 
cares  for  his  own.  A  rich  man  took  an  inter 
est  and  by  influencing  others  relieved  all  in 
debtedness,  and  the  Dove  of  Peace  rested  there, 
where  the  Prince  of  Peace  had  been  preached. 
A  lesson  had  been  taught  and  learned  that 
leaders  should  walk  in  clean  garments.  Their 
acts  should  be  above  suspicion.  If  they  can 
not  praise  they  can  keep  silence.  If  they  can 
not  help  they  need  not  hinder.  The  Union, 
whose  leader  goes  about  stirring  up  strife  and 
brow-beating  its  members  may  retain  his  office, 


38  Job  Trotter. 

and  wield  mighty  power,  but  his  ways  are  not 
American.  We  want  no  foreign  potentates  in 
America  with  their  secret  motto  "rule  or 
ruin"  so  different  from  God's  rule  "Blessed 
are  the  peacemakers." 

"I  wish/'  said  Hope,  "that  all  the  fault 
finding,  dissatisfied,  grumbling,  mischief- 
brewing,  and  beer-brewing  folks  might  be  ex 
ported  from  our  country,  and  never  more  al 
lowed  to  return,  both  male  and  female." 

"How  would  you  do  it?"  said  Job. 

"I  would  fill  ships  with  them  every  day  in 
the  year  if  needful,  and  send  them  to  the  land 
from  which  they  came,  and  would  have  a  po 
lice  force  large  enough  to  scour  the  country 
and  rid  it  of  all  such  vermin,  and  then  tear 
down  their  houses  and  disinfect  the  country 
North,  South,  East  and  West." 

"If  this  were  to  be  your  woman's  policy 
I  don't  think  we  would  have  woman-suffrage 
very  soon." 

"I,  for  one,  do  not  want  woman's  suffrage. 
Let  them  keep  their  homes  sweet  and  pleasant." 

"Some  have  no  homes." 

"Then  they  can  bestow  their  inherited 
mother  love  on  forlorn,  sweet,  innocent,  dar 
ling  little  children,  who  have  no  home  or  any 
one  to  love  and  care  for  them.  Better  care  for 
them  than  for  pet  dogs  and  cats." 

"Don't  you  think  woman-suffrage  would 
help  some  matters?" 


Job  Trotter.  39 

"No;  any  one  can  see  that  public  life  spoils 
women.  They  get  to  wrangling  and  quarrel 
ing,  and  make  disgusting  spectacles  of  them 
selves." 

"Do  not  the  men  also?" 

"They  do  get  excited  in  debate,  and  are 
often  undignified  and  ungentlemanly,  and  we 
may  be  ashamed  of  them,  but  public  women 
are  a  terror.  They  would  add  fuel  to  the 
flame,  and  no  man  or  angel  could  quench  it." 

"Well,  I  trust  the  time  is  not  far  off  when 
men  will  uphold  the  right  with  gentlemanly 
courtesy  and  old-fashioned  politeness,  and  use 
their  influence  for  God  and  righteousness.  I 
think  myself  that  suffrage  should  be  restricted 
rather  than  enlarged." 

"Will  it  not  be  grand  if  the  time  ever 
comes  when  workingmen  save  their  earnings, 
and  support  their  families  instead  of  the 
saloons;  and  when  rich  men  use  their  money 
in  large  enterprises,  for  the  good  of  their  coun 
try,  and  betterment  of  the  world?" 

"Yes,  and  then  could  be  sung,  not  on  one  day 
in  the  year  only,  but  all  the  time,  Teace  on 
earth,  good-will  to  men/  ' 


40  Job  Trotter. 


CHAPTER   XIV. 

ANOTHER  summer  was  spent  at  a  sea-shore 
place  on  the  New  Jersey  coast,  a  very  beautiful 
and  quiet  spot  where  a  religious  community 
made  heaven  seem  nearer  to  earth  than  else 
where.  The  grand  ocean  reminded  them  con 
stantly  of  God's  boundless  love.  Its  billows 
and  surf  in  the  moonlight  told  plainly  of  his 
lavish  beauty  on  sea  and  land. 

"God  of  the  Sea, 
Majestic,  most  profound. 
Enlarge  my  bound, 
Broader  and  deeper  let  me  be." 

The  grove  of  pine,  the  woods,  the  birds 
chanted  and  whispered  his  praise.  The  con 
genial  company  and  the  salubrious  air  con 
vinced  them  they  had  found  a  pleasant  rest 
ing  place. 

Job  bought  a  pretty  cottage  and  gave  it  to 
Hope. 

"It  is  too  bad/'  he  said,  "that  you  who 
loved  your  'Sweet  Home'  and  expected  to 


Job  Trotter.  41 

live  there  always  should  have  to  follow  me 
in  such  a  life  of  change.  We  have  seemed  to 
emulate  the  'Wandering  Jew/  ' 

"I  think  you  are  looking  now  at  the  outside 
of  things.  I  have  had  a  permanent  home  in 
your  heart,  and  you  in  mine,  for  *  'Tis  home 
where  the  heart  is.' ' 

"Now,  we  can  hope  to  have  this  cottage  for 
our  permanent  summer  home." 

"Yes,  the  cottage  is  very  pretty  and  the  air 
suits  you  better  than  the  coast  of  New  Eng 
land.  We  will  enjoy  it  as  we  always  do  any 
house  where  we  can  live  by  ourselves,  and  have 
everything  as  we  like  it,  free  to  go  and  come 
as  we  please  at  any  time;  read,  sing  and  play, 
with  no  outsiders  to  be  annoyed  or  displeased. 
It  will  be  an  attractive  refuge  away  from  the 
public  eye." 

They  enjoyed  the  bathing  with  its  exhilarat 
ing  effects.  The  boating  and  the  fishing,  also 
the  entertainments,  concerts  and  religious  ad 
vantages  were  sources  of  pleasure  and  profit. 

"It  will  well  prepare  Gaylord  for  his  college 
life  that  he  will  enter  on  in  the  autumn." 

"What  one  can  you  find  good  enough  for 
our  boy?" 

"I  have  informed  myself  about  different  col 
leges,  and  give  my  preference  to  one  where 
the  President  is  a  courtly  and  kindly  gentle 
man.  One  who  is  well-fitted  both  by  culture 
and  example  to  be  a  model  for  young  men," 


42  Job  Trotter. 

"I  won't  let  him  go  to  college,"  said  Hope, 
"if  he  is  going  to  be  hazed." 

"No,  I  would  not  either  if  that  was  a  neces 
sity,  but  it  is  not;  far  from  it.  Those  mean 
tricks  are  of  the  past." 

"I  won't  have  my  darling  boy  kicked  about 
by  a  set  of  bullies,  his  bones  broken  and  badly 
injured  for  life." 

"No,  it  is  simply  barbarous;  a  lot  of  fel 
lows  against  one.  Gaylord  is  so  tall  and  well- 
developed  that  I  would  risk  him  against  any 
one  boy.  But  it  is  not  fair  to  be  attacked 
unawares  by  a  pack  of  ruffians." 

"I  am  not  afraid  but  that  he  could  hold 
his  own  against  any  one  of  his  age.  His  ath 
letic  training  has  had  such  good  practice  with 
you  and  his  tutor." 

"It  is  not  so  much  a  question  of  strength  as 
of  right  and  decency." 

"I  should  think  the  officers  of  an  Institution 
for  the  betterment  of  young  men  might  see 
to  their  conduct." 

"They  might  and  do.  The  one  I  would  se 
lect,  and  have  about  decided  on,  holds  its  right 
ful  power  over  its  students.  They  must  bring 
good  well-known  references  as  to  character. 
None  are  admitted  unless  such  are  satisfactory. 
They  must  sign  a  contract  to  keep  the  rules 
of  the  college,  and  always  maintain  a  cour 
teous  behavior  to  all  in  the  college  or  with 
out.  If  any  one  disobeys  he  is  suspended  until 


Job  Trotter.  43 

he  promises  to  reform,  and  for  a  second  of 
fence  he  is  expelled." 

"That  is  good,  as  then  the  college  must 
graduate  well-educated  and  well-mannered 
young  gentlemen,  such  as  I  hope  Gay  lord  will 
be." 

"I  think  he  will  truly  enjoy  his  life  there. 
It  will  be  pleasant  and  in  many  ways  like  his 
life  with  us;  and  besides  he  will  have  the  ad 
vantage  of  the  society  of  men  who  have  at 
tained  high  literary  standing.  He  will  ap 
preciate  all  this,  as  he  has  already  developed 
great  love  for  study  and  knowledge  of  all 
kinds.  He  has  a  level  head,  as  well  as  good 
common  sense." 

"Yes,  indeed,  he  has,  and  I  think  he  will 
enjoy  such  a  life  immensely." 


44  Job  Trotter. 


CHAPTER  XV. 

WHEN  he  entered  college  the  boys  were  at 
first  inclined  to  make  fun  of  his  name,  and 
called  him  "Gay  Trotter,"  but  they  soon  found 
out  he  could  trot  faster  than  the  best  of  them, 
and  they  took  great  pride  in  his  " feats  as  a 
gay  trotter,"  as  well  as  in  his  feats  of  strength 
in  their  games.  He  could  row  like  a  sailor. 
He  could  pitch  ball  as  well  as  some  profes 
sionals.  At  the  same  time  he  was  first  in  feats 
of  scholarship,  and  so  became  a  great  favorite 
with  president,  professors,  and  students.  A 
young  ladies'  seminary  in  the  town  gave  them 
an  occasional  opportunity  to  meet  the  fair  sex 
at  receptions  given  by  the  President.  Some  of 
Gay's  letters  had  in  them  funny  sayings  of  the 
girls.  "A  Southern  girl,  in  talking  of  good 
things  to  eat,  was  asked :  T)o  you  like  fish- 
balls?' 

"She  said :    'I  never  attended  any/ 

"Another  story  was  of  a  Western  girl  who 
was  asked  the  old  joke :  'Do  you  like  Crabbe's 
Tales?' 

"  'I  did  not  know  crabs  had  tails/ 


Job  Trotter.  45 

"  'I  meant  read  "Crabbe's  Tales."  ' 

"  'I  did  not  know  red  crabs  had  tails/ 

"After  that  I  wanted  ^to  run  behind  the  barn 
and  laugh.  She  was  rather  excusable.  She 
was  a  mere  chit  of  a  girl,  and  this  was  her 
first  year  of  boarding  school  life.  Her  father 
had  loads  of  money,  but  not  much  brains.  She 
would  inherit  the  most  of  his  money,  but 
doubtful  about  brains." 

In  another  letter  he  said:  "The  Southern 
girl  is  not  so  bad  after  all.  She  is  unusually 
bright,  handsome,  and  good-natured.  I  may 
fall  in  love  with  her;  but  don't  be  frightened, 
mother;  I  will  never  marry  a  girl  that  you  do 
not  like  to  have  for  a  daughter,  but  will  keep 
my  heart  in  an  ice-box  if  necessary  until  you 
see  her,  which  I  hope  will  be  at  Commence 
ment,  when,  of  course,  you  both  will  be  here." 

His  mother  wrote  him,  giving  good  advice. 

"Scatter  the  golden  coin  of  courtesy  freely, 
if  you  would  travel  over  the  road  that  leads 
to  success." 

And  in  answer  to  a  letter  that  he  was  some 
times  lonely  and  almost  homesick,  she  wrote: 

"Seldom  can  the  heart  be  lonely, 

If  it  seek  a  lonelier  still 
Self -for getting,  seeking  only 
Emptier  cups  with  love  to  fill." 


46  Job  Trotter. 


CHAPTER    XVI. 

JOB  had  never  been  to  a  college  to  draw 
learning  from  that  fountain,  but  he  loved 
books,  and  was  constantly  bringing  home  all 
the  new  and  desirable  ones,  as  well  as  old  ones 
on  subjects  he  was  interested  in.  He  read  and 
enjoyed  them,  and  then  "passed  them  on"  to 
others.  The  motto  of  the  whole  family  was, 
"Pass  it  on!" 

He  learned  the  truth,  that  if  you  would  thor 
oughly  enjoy  anything,  share  it  with  another. 
The  family  were  of  one  mind  in  this  respect. 
Hope  was  constantly  finding  people,  young  and 
old,  who  were  feeding  their  minds  on  chaff. 
She  taught  and  gave  away  books.  Poor  little 
children  who  could  not  read  received  from  her 
hands  alphabets  on  blocks  and  primers.  To 
all  she  gave  suitable  books,  and  those  which 
would  be  helpful,  with  the  advice,  "Pass  it  on." 
She  influenced  those  she  helped  to  help  others 
in  their  turn,  to  read  to  the  blind  and  ignorant, 
to  visit  and  sing  to  the  sick  in  their  homes  and 
in  the  hospitals,  and  to  sew  for  the  ragged 
poor.  In  fact,  to  "be  a  star  in  some  one's 


Job  Trotter.  47 

sky."  She  did  not  seek  to  form  new  societies, 
but  each  one  she  helped  to  become  a  society  of 
their  own,  and  started  kind  acts  in  others,  so 
that  as  far  as  her  influence  went  she  was  al 
ways  helpful  to  others. 

In  talking  to  Job  about  her  work  she  said : 

"What  seemed  like  a  great  calamity  to  us,  in 
leaving  our  home  nest  stirred  up  so  suddenly 
by  your  sickness,  seems  to  have  been  for  the 
good  of  others,  as  well  as  leading  us  to  be  less 
selfish." 

"You  never  were  selfish.  Our  strange  life 
of  wandering,  I  confess,  has  made  me  very 
different.  I  was  ambitious  to  be  well  thought 
of  by  those  who  knew  me ;  to  bear  a  fine  repu 
tation  was  my  wish,  but  I  have  learned  the  true 
value  of  my  wife,  who  has  turned  every  cloud 
into  sunshine." 

"I,  too,  have  learned  the  'true  value  of  my 
husband/  My  constant  prayer  is : 

"Out  of  my  selfish  self,  oh,  lift  me  up, 
To  live  for  others,  and  in  living  so 
To  bear  a  blessing  where'er  I  go; 
Give  me  sunshine,  and  the  clouds  conceal — 
Oh!  let  them  but  their  silver  sides  reveal." 

Hope's  interest  in  the  Southern  negro  after 
their  freedom  increased  when  she  saw  in  every 
city  and  town  their  surroundings  of  poverty, 
uncleanness  and  degradation.  Their  mode  of 


48  Job  Trotter. 

life  was  so  very  miserable  and  ignorant,  not 
knowing  how  to  read  or  how  to  live  in  decency. 
The  only  redeeming  feature  was  their  love  of 
song,  one  of  their  favorites  being : 

"He  frees  my  soul!   He  frees  my  soul! 
Hallelujah!    Praise  de  Lord!" 

Some  seemed  to  think  as  much  of  this,  as 
that  their  poor  bodies  were  free. 

Her  oft-repeated  question  was: 

"What  can  be  done  for  this  poor,  ignorant 
people?" 

'They  must  be  educated." 

"Of  course  they  must ;  but  that  will  not  suit 
all." 

"What  else  can  we  do?" 

"I  think  of  them  as  I  do  of  the  poor  China 
men,  that  the  place  for  them  is  where  they  came 
from.  They  never  can  be  as  we  are.  It  is 
impossible  for  them  to  assimilate  with  the 
whites,  and  revolting  to  my  thought.  It  must 
be  true,  'What  God  has  put  asunder  let  no 
man  join  together/  Such  union  is  against 
nature,  and  must  be  repellent  to  others  as  well 
as  to  myself." 

"We  want  no  mongrel  race  in  our  land." 

"I  can't  live  as  they  live;  I  can't  eat  as  they 
eat." 

"We  surely  can  work  for  their  civilization 
without  living  with  them." 


Job  Trotter.  49 

"We  could,  but  they  won't.  They  aspire  to 
whatever  we  do  and  have." 

"Many  things  are  feeing  done  for  them. 
Many  good  men  are  as  interested  as  you  are." 

"They  don't  visit  them  in  their  filthy  homes 
as  I  do." 

"They  were  brought  here  against  their  will, 
and  it  seems  right  that  they  should  be  well 
cared  for  now  by  us." 

"We  are  not  responsible  for  their  being  here. 
We  did  not  bring  them.  If  their  condition 
had  been  anything  in  Africa  they  could  not 
have  been  enslaved." 

"Well,  this  is  our  work  now,  as  they  are 
here  and  must  be  cared  for." 

"Why  don't  those  who  are  better  off  among 
them  care  for  these  wretched  ones?" 

"They  do  in  the  matter  of  education." 

"But  the  houses  need  improving.  They  are 
spots  of  destitution,  and  ought  to  be  attended 
to  first  of  all;  but  if  a  colored  girl  leaves  such 
a  home  and  goes  among  white  people  and  earns 
wages,  she  spends  it  on  herself  by  trying  to 
dress  like  white  folks  with  feathers  on  her  hat, 
dresses  with  trains  to  them.  It  is  heartless  in 
them,  to  say  the  least." 

"Well,  the  men  are  the  same.  They  get  a 
cane,  a  tall  hat,  imitation  jewelry,  and  a  cigar 
in  their  mouths,  and  try  to  be  'colored  gentle 
men.'  ' 

"It  is  strange.     Why  don't  they  first  get 


50  Job  Trotter. 

neat,  comfortable  homes  for  their  wives  and 
mothers,  and  live  with  them  and  teach  them?" 
"It  is  the  same  old  story.  Every  one  for 
himself,  and  I  almost  believe  what  is  so  often 
said,  if  a  colored  man  is  unusually  smart,  'Why, 
he  has  white  blood  in  him/  " 


Job  Trotter.  51 


CHAPTER   XVII. 

"IT  is  a  pity  that  these  smart  leaders  do  not 
start  settlements  among  the  poorer  class,  and 
influence  them  to  live  nicer  in  their  homes. 
They  could  be  clean,  at  any  rate,  however  poor 
they  were.  Water  does  not  cost  anything,  or 
fresh  air. 

"Then,  too,  the  owners  of  the  houses  they 
live  in  ought  to  see  to  it  that  they  are  kept 
clean,  and  dispossess  them  if  they  do  not  keep 
them  so,  and  the  poorest  tenements  should  be 
torn  down,  and  good  ones  built  in  their  places." 

"Yes,  I  think  instead  of  thousands  of  dol 
lars  spent  in  fine  educational  buildings  for 
the  few,  let  the  many  have  decent  homes  in 
stead  of  the  squalor  and  crowded  rooms  they 
huddle  into  in  the  cities." 

"Instead  of  the  higher  education  for  a  few 
hundred  negroes,  that  he  may  do  white  man's 
work,  let  the  thousands  in  ignorance  and  neg 
lect  have  a  chance.  Let  him  who  knows 
how  to  read  teach  him  who  cannot  read.  Let 
them  read  to  the  old  and  blind  stories  from  the 
Bible  and  so  teach  them  and  fit  them  for  eter- 


52  Job  Trotter. 

nal  life,  and  ensure  the  salvation  of  their  im 
mortal  souls  before  it  be  too  late;  that  after 
the  storms  and  trials  of  this  life  they  may 
enter  where  there  'is  fullness  of  joy  and 
pleasures  at  God's  right  hand/  It  would  be 
better  for  them  to  have  a  small  missionary 
salary  now,  and  start  in  their  crown  of  rejoi 
cing  than  to  aspire  to  higher  salaries  that  would 
enable  them  to  ride  in  Pullman  cars  with  white 
people." 

"Some  make  good  waiters  in  hotels,  don't 
they?" 

"Yes,  some  do;  others  get  their  uniforms 
and  big  wages  and  expect  'tips'  then  want 
higher  wages,  and  if  their  requests  are  not 
granted  they  leave  in  a  body  in  the  height  of 
the  season.  Then  the  proprietor  has  trouble 
to  fill  their  places  in  a  hurry,  as  they  hoped 
he  would  have;  not  thankful  for  the  good 
places  they  had  and  trying  to  do  their  best 
and  render  faithful  service  they  put  off  to 
another  hotel,  often  for  the  same  wages,  and 
play  the  same  game.  Some  are  good,  but 
some  prove  untruthful  and  unreliable." 

"How  can  their  places  be  better  filled?" 

"At  summer  resorts  by  college  boys  and 
girls.  In  winter  by  many  who  prefer  these 
situations  to  teaching  all  the  year.  This  gives 
employment  to  many  white  young  people,  who 
ask :  'What  can  I  do  for  a  living?' ' 

"Are  the  poor  negroes  at  the  North  that 


Job  Trotter.  53 

you  have  seen  in  worse  condition  than  the 
poor  whites  there  ?" 

"Yes,  I  think  they  are.  The  poor  whites  are 
bad  enough  in  their  dirty  houses,  but  most 
of  them  have  spells  of  cleaning  up,  and  do 
air  their  rooms,  but  the  negroes  do  not  like 
much  air.  They  like  a  warm  climate  and  make 
themselves  as  warm  as  possible;  in  winter  they 
will  put  on  all  the  clothes  they  have,  rag  after 
rag,  until  they  look  like  a  very  bundle  of  rags." 

"Are  they  worse  off  now  than  they  were  at 
the  South  in  their  homes?" 

"Yes,  in  respect  to  cleanliness.  There  the 
overseer  obliged  them  to  have  clean  cabins, 
and  at  the  master's  house  the  housekeeper  re 
quired  every  servant  in  the  mistress's  employ 
to  be  neat  and  tidy.  Their  dresses  and  aprons 
must  be  spotless.  There  they  were  a  distinct 
race  from  the  white  people,  and  knew  it,  and 
kept  their  proper  place  as  respectful  servants 
and  working  people." 

"Have  you  heard  how  it  is  at  the  South 
now  with  the  negro?" 

"Some  friends  spending  the  winter  there 
say  that  as  a  rule  they  are  lazy  and  shiftless 
and  require  constant  help.  The  years  make 
no  difference.  They  are  not  thought  well  of 
as  to  truthfulness  and  honesty,  and  on  most 
places  dogs  are  kept  to  prevent  chickens  from 
being  stolen.  They  are  no  benefit  to  a  place, 
as  they  are  not  neat  in  their  houses.  When 


54  Job  Trotter. 

a  wash  comes  from  them  each  piece  must  be 
examined  to  see  that  there  is  not  brought  into 
your  home  undesirable  occupants." 

"Have  they  not  preaching  now  and  teach- 
ing?" 

"Yes,  such  as  it  is.  It  is  mostly  by  min 
isters,  as  they  are  called  by  those  who  go  to 
hear  them  and  by  themselves,  but  they  can't 
read  and  write,  and  their  preaching  is  a  noisy 
ranting,  most  of  it  senseless,  only  screaming 
and  moaning;  for  instance — this  was  heard  at 
one  of  their  Sunday  services: 

"  The  disciples  had  their  feet  washed  (a 
groan)  um — urn — um — so  must  we — um — um 
— um — by  Jesus  it  was  done — um — um — um 
— so  must  we — um — um — um/  What  with 
feet  washing  and  the  holy  dance  they  make 
religion  a  holy  horror  to  a  real  true  Christian." 

"There  seems  too  great  a  difference  be 
tween  the  educated  and  the  ignorant  negro." 


Job  Trotter.  55 


CHAPTER   XVIII. 

"THIS  deplorable  condition  of  the  negro 
ought  to  be  studied  into  by  our  wisest  busi 
ness  men,  and  some  plan  arrived  at,  and  car 
ried  out  in  kindness  to  the  American  and  to 
the  African." 

"Why  don't  you  study  the  subject?" 

"I  believe  I  will." 

Job  took  his  time  to  investigate  the  subject 
thoroughly.  He  read  all  the  books  he  could 
find  published  by  travelers,  explores,  and  mis 
sionaries.  He  was  convinced  that  Africa  with 
its  13,000,000  square  miles  was  the  garden  spot 
of  the  world  for  the  Africans.  Its  immense 
mines,  its  water  falls,  especially  "The  Victoria 
Falls,"  800  feet  deep  with  vapor  like  driven 
snow,  more  beautiful  than  any  other  in  the 
world;  its  luxurious  growth  of  fruits  of  all 
kinds;  in  fact,  all  its  natural  advantages  made 
it  an  Eden  for  those  who  loved  a  hot  climate, 
and  this  was  the  most  healthful  and  salubri 
ous  of  such  climates.  The  gold  mines  and 
diamond  mines  made  it  a  profitable  country 


56  Job  Trotter. 

to  live  in  and  make  money.  If  the  richest  man 
in  the  world  made  his  money  by  mines  in  Af 
rica,  why  will  not  Christian  capitalists  let  the 
negro  have  the  same  chance  there,  for  Christ's 
sake?  If  a  white  man  can  live  there  to  make 
money,  why  not  the  negro  to  make  pleasant 
homes  as  well  as  money?  It  would  not  cost 
them  much  to  live  there.  They  could  go  with 
bare  feet,  as  they  like  to  do,  all  the  year  in 
that  climate,  and  so  save  shoes.  Their  feet 
might  get  soiled,  but  it  would  not  show.  They 
would  need  no  hats,  no  bonnets,  being  no  dan 
ger  of  their  getting  tanned.  They  would  not 
have  to  wear  such  layers  of  clothing  as  they 
do  in  America. 

Job  and  Hope  thought  it  just  the  most  de 
lightful  home  for  the  negro. 

The  wicked  slave-trader  brought  them  from 
Africa,  and  the  South  winked  at  the  sin,  and 
bought  and  sold  these  human  beings.  The 
North  forced  them  from  their  owners  by  a 
war  of  which  they  \vere  the  cause;  now  the 
Union  should  finish  the  job  by  making  ar 
rangements  to  give  them  the  land  that  is  of 
right  theirs.  Africa  for  the  Africans,  say  we. 
The  rich  men  of  America  can  bring  it  about. 
Then  when  God  calls  for  the  record  of  the 
Nations,  Africa  as  well  as  China,  Italy  and 
other  nations  can  each  respond  for  their  own 
land. 

He  says,  "When  the  Son  of  Man  shall  come 


Job  Trotter.  57 

in  His  glory,  shall  be  gathered  all  nations." 
"His  eyes  behold  the  nations." 
"All  nations  shall  call  Him  blessed." 
"All  nations  whom  Thou  hast  made  shall 

come  and  worship  before  Thee,  O  Lord." 


58  Job  Trotter. 


CHAPTER  XIX. 

"!T  seems  to  me/'  said  Hope,  "that  this 
must  be  God's  plan  for  these  people,  and 
that  in  helping  them  in  it  we  would  be  doing 
God's  will." 

"It  would  need  a  lot  of  money." 

"I  should  hope  that  would  be  had  easily, 
"The  earth  is  the  Lord's  and  the  fullness  there 
of." 

Job  spoke  to  some  rich  men  about  it.  They 
said  the  plan  was  feasible,  and  they  would 
take  hold  of  it,  so  millions  were  promised. 
The  leading  negroes  were  consulted,  and  they 
said  they  would  be  glad  to  be  "like  Moses," 
to  "bring  their  people  out." 

The  plan  decided  on  was  to  buy  a  gold  mine 
in  Africa  and  many  thousand  acres  at  first, 
and  take  out  as  many  families  as  liked  to  go 
to  begin  a  new  life  there.  Each  family  was 
to  have  a  piece  of  ground  given  them  as  their 
own,  and  a  good  cabin  built  for  them,  that 
they  might  at  last  sit  under  their  own  "vine 
and  fig  tree."  The  old  men  would  plant  their 


Job  Trotter.  59 

gardens  with  what  they  liked.  The  old  wom 
en  would  keep  bake  shops.  The  young  men 
would  work  in  the  mimes  and  the  profits  be 
divided,  one-half  to  be  theirs,  the  other  half  to 
provide  schools  and  churches  and  support 
preachers  and  teachers.  The  young  women 
would  be  dressmakers  and  milliners,  keep  the 
houses  nicely  and  marry  the  young  men.  A 
colony  would  be  formed  with  a  President  and 
other  officers,  to  serve  for  a  term  of  years,  and 
then  give  others  a  chance.  So  the  smartest 
and  best  educated  men  would  be  in  power  to 
settle  all  public  affairs.  Not  a  white  man 
would  be  allowed  to  stay  there,  and  interfere 
with  them.  The  large  capital  behind  the  en 
terprise  would  be  a  permanent  one,  as  those 
willing  to  help  had  their  own  families  pro 
vided  for  to  an  amount  best  for  them.  "We 
brought  nothing  into  the  world,  and  it  is  sure 
we  can  take  nothing  out  of  it,"  but  will  find 
"much  treasure  of  ours  in  Heaven,  laid  up 
for  us,"  if  we  put  it  there  while  we  live. 

"If  men  cared  less  for  wealth  and  fame 

And  less  for  battlefields  and  glory; 
If  writ  in  human  hearts  a  name 

Seemed  better  than  in  song  or  story; 
If  men,  instead  of  nursing  pride, 

Would  learn  to  hate  it  and  abhor  it; 
If  more  relied  on  love  to  guide. 

The  world  would  be  the  better  for  it. 


60  Job  Trotter. 

"If  men  were  wise  in  little  things — 

] Affecting  less  in  all  their  dealings; 
If  hearts  had  fewer  rusted  strings 

To  isolate  their  kindred  feelings; 
If  men  when  Wrong  beats  down  the  Right 

Would  strike  together  to  restore  it; 
If  Right  made  Might  in  every  fight, 
The  world  would  be  the  better  for  it." 

— M.  H.  COBB. 

It  was  decided  to  appoint  a  committee  to 
go  to  Africa  and  buy  the  land  in  the  best  lo 
cation  possible.  Job  was  asked  to  go  as 
leader.  He  said  he  was  willing,  if  his  wife 
would  let  him  go. 

He  asked  her  and  she  said :  "Yes,  of  course ; 
it  was  a  splendid  chance  to  do  good.  An  op 
portunity  that  could  occur  only  once  in  a  life 
time." 

"You  can  stay  with  Gaylord  in  his  college 
town,  and  then  you  won't  miss  me." 

"I  shall  go  with  you.  We  have  been  mar 
ried  twenty  years,  and  moved  from  place  to 
place  forty-one  times.  We  have  never  been 
separated.  Our  life  has  been  all  golden.  I 
have  kept  step  with  you,  and  shall  I  stop  now  ? 
No,  never.  ' Whither  thou  goest,  I  will  go; 
where  thou  lodgest,  I  will  lodge;  where  thou 
diest,  will  I  die;  naught  but  death  shall  part 
thee  and  me/  and  that  but  for  a  short  time." 

"We  are  not  going  to  Africa  to  die." 


Job  Trotter.  61 

"I  would  be  willing  to  die  in  such  a  cause." 
"You  are  a  brave  little  woman." 
"Why    should    I    be    afraid    of    death?     A 
beautiful  poet  calls  it  Emancipation." 


"Why  be  afraid  of  death,  as  though  your  life 

were  breath? 

Death  but  anoints  your  eyes  with  clay.     O 
glad  surprise! 

"Why  should  you  be  forlorn?    Death  only 

husks  the  corn. 

Why  should  you  fear  to  meet  the  thresher  of 
the  wheat? 

"Is  sleep  a  thing  to  dread?   Yet  sleeping  you 

are  dead 

Till  you  awake  and  risef  here,  or  beyond  the 
skies. 

"Why  should  it  be  a  wrench  to  leave  your 

wooden  bench? 

Why  not  with  happy  shout  run  home  when 
school  is  out? 

"The  dear  ones  left  behind!     O  foolish  one 

and  blind, 

54  day — and  you  will  meet — a  night — and  you 
will  greet! 


6z  Job  Trotter. 

"This  is  the  death  of  Death,  to  breathe  away 

a  breath 

And  know  the  end  of  strife,  and  taste  the 
deathless  life. 

"And  joy  without  a  fear,  and  smile  without  a 

tear, 

And  work,  nor  care  to  rest,  and  find  the  last 
the  best."  —  M.  D.  B. 

A  party  of  twelve  men  formed  the  company 
that  went  to  Africa,  six  white  men,  four  took 
their  wives,  and  six  colored  men.  They  real 
ized  that  what  was  to  be  done  must  be  ac 
complished  soon ;  as  the  negro  population  now 
of  8,000,000  in  a  few  years  would  increase 
to  16,000,000  and  be  a  nation  within  a  na 
tion. 


Job  Trotter,  63 


CHAPTER  XX. 

GAYLORD  was  greatly  surprised  by  a  visit 
from  his  parents,  and  the  news  they  had  to 
tell  him.  He  appreciated  their  feeling  in  the 
matter,  and  said : 

"It  was  just  like  them  and  they  must  not  be 
gone  long  but  return  to  see  him  graduate." 

He  introduced  them  to  "his  pretty  Southern 
girl,  Grace  Lovell,"  and  they  too  were  much 
pleased  with  her.  Her  intelligent  face,  her 
pretty  manners,  and  best  of  all,  her  strong 
Christian  character,  as  Gaylord  described  it  to 
them,  made  them  satisfied  with  his  choice.  His 
frequent  letters  cheered  his  parents  during 
their  absence.  His  favorite  theme  was 
"Grace." 

"I  may  have  fallen  in  love  with  her,  but 
don't  be  frightened,  I  will  not  marry  a  girl  un 
less  you  love  her  too,  and  are  willing  to  have 
her  for  a  daughter;  as  I  have  said  before,  I 
would  rather  keep  my  heart  in  an  ice-box  un 
til  I  know  of  your  approval;  but  she  is  so 
bright  and  handsome,  and  good-natured,  that 
you,  too,  will  be  in  love  with  her,  as  you  know 
her  better.  You  can't  help  it." 


64  Job  Trotter. 

His  many  letters  had  many  jokes  in  them  to 
entertain  his  parents.  In  one  he  told  of  a 
bright  conundrum  Grace  had  originated. 

"Seeing  a  glass  pitcher  with  roses  in  it,  she 
asked : 

"  'Why  is  a  pitcher  a  suitable  vase?' 

"He  gave  it  up. 

"  'Because  it  has  a  nose  for  flowers/ 

"  'Very  good,  wasn't  it,  for  a  girl  ?' 

"She  is  the  victim  of  a  good  joke  that  has 
got  out  about  her.  She  does  not  know  that 
any  of  us  fellows  know  about  it.  At  one  of 
our  receptions,  she  was  trying  to  entertain, 
and  make  herself  agreeable  to,  one  of  the 
learned  professors.  He  is  a  little  hard  of  hear 
ing.  She  asked  him  if  he  liked  bananas?  He 
did  not  answer,  but  looked  at  her  inquiringly. 
So  she  repeated  the  question  a  little  louder. 
He  looked  thoughtful,  and  then  in  a  low,  dig 
nified  voice,  replied : 

"  'I  have  not  given  the  subject  of  pajamas 
any  attention.  I  judge  it  to  be  a  Japanese 
word.'  It  is  needless  to  say  she  blnshed,  and 
turned  the  subject  to  one  less  personal,  and 
soon  after  left  the  room  to  breathe  the  fresh 
air  out  of  doors." 

Another  joke  was  on  a  freshman,  who  was 
rather  simple,  and  some  of  the  fellows  got 
in  the  habit  of  calling  him  a  flat.  He  told  his 
chum,  after  a  visit  to  his  home,  that  his 
mother,  who  was  a  godly  woman,  had  hung  up 


Job  Trotter.  65 

on  the  wall  the  motto,  "God  bless  our  flat."  His 
chum  thought  it  was  too  good  to  keep  to 
himself,  and  told  Gaylord.  While  his  parents 
were  in  Africa,  Gaylord  accepted  an  invita 
tion  of  the  brother  of  Grace  to  spend  his  win 
ter  vacation  with  him  at  his  Southern  home. 
He  was  treated  so  well  by  all  the  family  that 
he  became  in  love  with  them  all  in  general,  and 
Grace  in  particular. 

When  his  parents  returned  from  Africa,  he 
told  them  of  his  love  for  Grace  and  wish  to 
marry  her.  An  invitation  was  extended  to 
Grace  and  her  brother  to  visit  them  at  their 
seaside  home.  The  result  was  that  the  whole 
family  came  North  and  took  board  at  a  hotel 
in  a  nearby  resort. 

The  families  became  well  acquainted,  and 
were  mutually  pleased.  Gaylord  and  Grace 
became  engaged,  and  spent  such  happy  hours 
together  as  is  only  possible  by  the  seaside; 
hearing  what  the  wild  waves  say  to  each 
other  and  to  them;  talking  love  and  romance 
inspired  by  the  moonlight  on  the  water. 

Gaylord  was  asked  by  his  father  what  he 
proposed  doing  for  a  living.  He  answered  he 
would  like  to  have  an  orange  grove  at  the 
South  and  cultivate  it. 

This  project  found  favor  with  his  parents, 
and  one  was  purchased  and  given  to  him  with 
the  understanding  that  he  must  be  practical 
and  know  that  every  soul  employed  by  him 


66  Job  Trotter. 

did  right  and  received  righteous  treatment. 
He  said  he  would  take  all  responsibility  con 
nected  with  the  business,  and  was  sure  his 
parents  would  be  satisfied  with  his  manage 
ment.  He  selected  his  servants  carefully,  both 
for  the  plantation  and  for  his  house.  He  was 
his  own  overseer,  provided  well  for  all,  paid 
good  wages,  and  gave  them  short  hours  for 
work  that  they  might  have  time  for  rest  and 
improvement.  They  were  provided  with  a 
public  hall,  used  on  the  Sabbath  for  preaching 
and  teaching,  and  during  the  week  as  a  read 
ing-room  with  a  good  library  and  writing  ac 
commodations. 

They  had  a  good  living,  and  saved  up 
money  in  the  bank.  When  any  one  wished 
to  get  married  he  furnished  them  with  the 
needful  things,  and  sent  them  to  Africa  to 
establish  a  new  home  there. 


Job  Trotter.  67 


CHAPTER   XXL 

GAYLORD  found  by  experience  that  white 
labor  was  better  than  the  negro  labor,  so  he 
fitted  out  all  his  servants  in  good  condition 
and  gave  them  a  fair  start  in  Africa. 

His  plantation  was  more  successful  and 
easier  managed  after  that,  as  one  white  man 
could  in  half  a  day  do  more  and  better  work 
than  one  negro  in  a  whole  day.  The  same 
was  true  in  his  house,  with  white  servants 
there.  He  employed  the  poor  Southern  whites, 
giving  them  a  chance  to  make  a  good  living. 
He  also  employed  for  outside  work  some 
Italians,  who  enjoyed  the  warm  climate  and 
took  naturally  to  fruit  and  flowers.  They 
would  save  up  in  a  few  years  enough  of  their 
wages  to  return  to  their  beloved  Italy,  and 
could  go  into  business  there.  Their  inspira 
tion  and  anticipation  was  Italy,  land  of  beau 
tiful  skies  and  gorgeous  sunsets  and  genial 
air. 

"O,  Italy,  delightful  Italy, 
My  heart  longs  for  thee, 
A  wanderer  now,  my  thoughts  turn  hopefully 
Thy  beloved  shores  again  to  see." 


68  Job  Trotter. 

In  the  course  of  time,  Gaylord  and  Grace 
were  married  and  began  life  together  in  their 
pleasant  Southern  residence.  A  more  beau 
tiful  home  where  love  reigned  it  were  hard 
to  find.  God  was  honored.  His  day  was 
honored.  Gaylord  became  the  teacher  and 
preacher  in  the  Hall  he  had  built,  and  without 
seeking  honors  they  came  to  him,  for  the 
promise  is : 

"Them  that  honor  me  I  will  honor."  "O, 
what  a  glory  doth  this  world  put  on,  for  him 
who  with  a  fervent  heart  goes  forth  under  the 
bright  and  glorious  sky,  and  looks  on  duties 
well  performed  and  days  well  spent." 


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